Risky Beginnings
by Yemam2422
Summary: DL. Early season two story. Danny and Lindsay meet at the airport instead of the zoo. Unexpected adventure, danger and excitement ensues! Rated M for Ch. 7 only, everything else is T.
1. Chapter 1

Danny Messer had processed hundreds of crime scenes. Some were unremarkable and rather ordinary – as ordinary as a crime scene could be. Like a routine gunshot wound or strangulation. All of those cases blended together and Danny had difficulty remembering them. Others were more memorable, either because of the strange surroundings, the bizarre cause of death, the creativity of the killer or, unfortunately, the age and circumstances of the victim.

As Danny made his way into his newest crime scene with Mac and Flack he new he would never forget this one. First, the victim was John Waters. His current pop-rock hit was all over the radio but he was more famous for his tabloid-fodder relationship and obligatory sex tape with some Hollywood socialite. Danny had seen the tape and had been unimpressed by everyone involved.

John Waters didn't have to worry about people judging his performance in bed anymore or anything else for that matter. He'd been found in his hotel room by housekeeping shot in the head, the heart and the groin. That was some hell of a message, Danny thought.

"What a mess," Flack said.

"No kidding," Danny replied as he started taking photographs. The body was surrounded by a large pool of blood, which was also splattered around the adjacent furniture.

"Size of the bullet holes indicates the murder weapon was likely a .38 revolver, fired at close range," Mac said, who was also taking inventory of the scene. He knelt down to the body and lifted the torso off the floor to see if the bullet to his heart was a through-and-through. Instead of finding a bullet hole Mac was surprised to see what looked like a tattoo. But Mac recognized the dark symbol marking the victim's left shoulder blade. "Danny, Flack. Look at this." Both detectives made their way around the body to see what Mac was pointing to.

"Shit," Danny said. Flack sighed heavily. Both detectives immediately recognized the symbol and its significance. The three interlocking triangles and four circles had been branded onto five other victims over the past six months - the calling card of a serial killer who was still on the loose. The media had labeled him the 'symbol slayer' and Mac was anxious to catch him.

"The press is going to be all over this. Let's get some officers here to block off the entrance. I don't want anything leaked to the media," Mac instructed.

"I'm on it," Flack said as exited the room.

"Danny, I'm going to page Stella to switch places with you. She's processed all the other slayer crime scenes."

"Come on, Mac. Let me work this." Danny desperately wanted to be part of this action. Cases like this gave him an adrenaline rush - it's what he lived for.

"No, I want Stella on this. And I need you to pick up Lindsay Monroe from the airport."

"Who? What?"

"Lindsay Monroe. She's our new CSI. She's flying in today. Remember?"

"No way, Mac. I'm not giving up this crime scene to play chauffer."

"Danny, I want someone to meet her at the airport and I want Stella here. It's an order."

Danny could continue trying to finagle his way out of it – pleading a heavy work load – but with Mac's tone and cocked eyebrow, Danny knew he was stuck playing babysitter to the new girl. He hadn't even met her yet but Lindsay Monroe was not making a good impression on him.

* * *

Danny hated airports – they were too crowded, people were too rushed and too cranky for his taste. The traffic on his way over did nothing to improve his mood. When his speed on the GW had been reduced to a crawl he'd cursed everyone and everything from the new girl he didn't even know to the malfunctioning EZ Pass booth that had caused a huge bottleneck.

He'd arrived late but luckily so had Lindsay's flight. He picked a spot next to a column that offered a clear view of the gate away from the madness of travelers to wait for her arrival.

Even amid a sea of people from all walks of life he spotted the new girl the moment she stepped onto the gate. Her wardrobe hadn't given her away – a simple blue t-shirt tucked into a pair of gray pants, practical black boots – exactly what Mac had described. Danny wasn't expecting her to show up in overalls with a pitchfork but when Mac had told him Lindsay Monroe was from Montana he expected something more…country.

It was that new-girl-in-the-big-city look in her eyes and the slow pace she was making her way down the gate seemingly unaware of the people zipping by her that made her stand out. She didn't have the cool, competent air about her that New Yorkers did.

Instead of moving to greet her he continued to watch her, and to speculate. Mac had not told him anything except where she was coming from and her name. She looked to be about the same age as him. She was attractive, in the cute way. She was tiny, her figure compact but athletic. Her shirt revealed tanned, toned arms and he was sure she had a great pair of legs to match.

Danny wondered what brought her to New York. Leaving behind a bad experience? A change of scenery? Who had she left behind? Family? Boyfriend? Even if she had arrived single, she probably wouldn't have maintained that status for long. Not in a city like this where men could have the single-mindedness of a shark when it came to an attractive female. Not that _he_ was thinking about putting any moves on her. She was pretty but Danny doubted she'd be here long enough for it to matter. At first glance she looked a little too sweet and innocent to survive here – just the type of person New York chewed up and spit out on a daily basis.

Leaning against the column, Danny continued to stare at Lindsay with interest. Then he realized that his stare was being returned. When their eyes met, his heart lurched a little, which he attributed to embarrassment at being caught staring. But he didn't look away. Even with the stream of people passing between them, occasionally blocking their line of sight, they maintained eye contact.

She was the first one to look away, probably also embarrassed for having picked him out of the crowd and being caught. Bothered by his silly reaction to something as insignificant as eye contact, Danny left his post and weaved towards Lindsay.

* * *

Lindsay Monroe stifled a yawn as she made her way down the arrival gate. Her excitement about moving to New York had kept her up all night. She'd waited a month month for this and the reality of finally being in the city gave her an indefinable tingle. Requesting the transfer had been one of the scariest and most exciting decisions of her life. She'd wanted a change. Needed it. She'd somehow outgrown her life back in Montana. It no longer satisfied her – not the ranch or her personal life or her work. When she saw the opening in the New York crime lab it seemed like destiny, a chance for a fresh start. Knowing that Mac Taylor hand picked her for the job out of all the candidates made her nervous but she was up for the challenge.

Her impression of her new boss from their two phone conversations was that he was a by the books guy, a bit stiff but she'd sensed a softer side to him when he'd asked her about life on a farm. He'd even offered to have someone pick her up from the airport. He wasn't sure who would be free but asked what she was wearing and told her to keep an eye out for someone at the gate.

That someone appeared to be the man who had caught her eye earlier and was now walking toward her. He was certainly attractive but there was something else about him that got her attention - the way she could tell the color of his eyes and feel their intensity from so far away. The way he looked indifferent and engrossed at the same time, leaning against the column so casually when everyone else around seemed anxious.

"Lindsay Monroe?" he asked, stopping a few feet in front of her.

"Yes." She smiled and held out her hand. His jacket had hidden his badge but she saw it now, clipped to his belt.

"Danny Messer. How ya doin?" The up-close and unobstructed view of Lindsay Monroe proved to be interesting. She had wonderful eyes, he thought. Big, chocolate colored eyes that looked both candid and mysterious at the same time. Right now they were looking at him inquisitively, as if trying to judge him.

"Good. Thanks for picking me up." These accents would be an adjustment, Lindsay realized.

"No problem." Actually, it was a problem seeing that he left an interesting crime scene to do it, but Danny didn't say that.

"I have two suit cases," Lindsay said as she nodded towards baggage claim.

"Right." Danny walked next to Lindsay as they made their way to the conveyor belts. "So, Bozeman, huh?"

"Born and raised."

"Nice area," His notion of Montana came from photos of cows and wheatfields, but he'd said this as if he were actually familiar with the town.

"Yes, it is."

_Scintillating conversation, Monroe_, Lindsay thought. But her nerves were handicapping her conversation skills – the majority of them caused by the man walking next to her. She could practically see the wheels of his mind turning and she was trying to figure out what he was thinking. Was he cementing his first impression of her? What did he think of her? They reached baggage claim and stood in silence waiting for her suitcases to appear.

"So, where are you staying?" Lindsay was relieved he finally broke the uncomfortable silence.

"With my uncle in Terrytown, until I find a place in Manhattan."

"Interesting."

"How so?" Lindsay asked as she pulled both her suitcases off the belt.

"Oh, nothing. It's just a good thing you have family here."

There was something about his tone that suggested he wasn't totally sincere or concerned for her well-being. "Yeah, good thing."

Lindsay followed Danny as he led the way to his car. "It's a big change, going from Montana to New York."

She wasn't sure if his remark was a statement or question but either way he'd said it condescendingly. He was trying to make a point, she realized - that she couldn't handle this city or this job in this city. His assumption set her temper boiling. Lindsay knew she was replacing Danny's long time partner, Aiden Burn and expected some resistance from him. But he wasn't even giving her a chance to prove herself before deciding she was an incompetent country bumpkin. Danny had certainly shown his true colors, however. He was cocky and selfish and she was not looking forward to working with him. Lindsay remained silent rather than say something she'd regret. Her irritated expression did not go unnoticed.

"I'm just saying, New York crime scenes are on a whole different level than the delinquents you're used to dealing with. I hope you're ready."

"Do you really hope that or do you hope that I fail miserably?" Danny looked surprised at her rebuttal – he probably expected her to crumble under his scrutiny. She knew she was a capable CSI and she wasn't going to let him make her feel otherwise.

Instead of waiting for his reply Lindsay attempted to end their little war of words as they finally reached his car. "Can you just drop me off at the lab? Mac wanted me to report right away."

"Sure thing."

They drove in silence until a traffic jam right outside the airport stopped their progress and Danny unleashed an occasional curse. His blasphemy against his fellow drivers intensified when he saw there was a detour. Lindsay wasn't sure if the detour was wrong or if Danny had gotten them lost but they somehow ended up on a secluded street.

Lindsay was about to suggest asking for directions when she sensed movement out of the corner of her eye; saw someone approaching the passenger door. But before she could react glass shattered, shards flying into her lap. A black gloved hand shot through the broken car window and reached for the handle. Lindsay's shock and horror had prevented her from screaming and delayed her instincts to stop the intruder. Everything was happening too fast. Her heart was banging so violently in her chest she could feel each beat in her head. Before she knew it the door was open and her face covered in a white cloth that smelled horrible. Chloroform, Lindsay terrifyingly recognized. Her eyelids and limbs suddenly felt like lead. She turned to Danny and blurrily saw him struggling with another black-clad figure. She attempted punching and scratching the arms holding her captive. She thought she had landed some decent blows but she never got the chance to find out before everything faded to black.

**

* * *

****A/N**: Thanks for reading! I am tremendously grateful for **mel60** who beta'd this. 


	2. Chapter 2

Danny felt sick, and thought he might throw up. He felt bile rise in his throat before he was even aware of where he was. His arms were bound tightly behind his back. His head hurt and he was totally disoriented. Even with barely functioning brain cells he recognized one thing - he was in big trouble.

He did his best to ignore his churning stomach and ever-increasing fear to get his bearings. He slowly realized he was in a musty smelling room. No, the surface he was lying on was cold, hard and moving. It was a van or truck. He had no idea how long he'd been there and the darkened windows prevented him from knowing if it was day or night. The last thing he remembered was being ambushed in his car. Whoever had attacked him and Lindsay were strong, very strong. He'd been quickly overpowered and Lindsay would have had even less of a chance. _Lindsay_. Oh God, where was she? Was she okay? He strained his eyes against the blackness to look for her. He saw a lump against the opposite wall of the van that resembled a curled up body.

"Lindsay," Danny hissed. He knew there was at least a driver but didn't want to draw the attention of whoever else might be in the front of the van. He had no idea who had done this and the possibilities of what they had planned made Danny fight another wave of nausea. When there was no response he squirmed his way closer to her.

"Lindsay," he whispered more loudly. This time he was greeted by a soft mumbling and slight movement of her body. She was alive, thank God. "Lindsay, wake up. Try to open your eyes." Whether this was an extreme kidnapping attempt or the crazy plan of some psychopath he needed Lindsay coherent if they were going to get out of this alive.

Danny felt the vehicle slow and veer right. There was more jolting as it left smooth pavement to grind over what sounded like gravel. Danny felt his stomach sink right to his toes. They must be headed to an isolated spot, to do who knows what. Bound and barely functioning, Danny felt helpless. He needed time to come up with a plan. As the van jerked to a halt Danny realized he was running out of what he desperately needed and a stab of fear coursed through him. Whatever they intended to do would probably happen now. Danny heard the back door of the van open and at that moment, all he could do was feign unconsciousness and wait for an opening for escape to present itself.

* * *

Lindsay felt hands grab her shoulders and clumsily drag her from the van. Concentrating on being a dead weight was her main focus at the moment. She'd woken to Danny's words and had barely gotten awareness of her surroundings before the van doors opened. Following Danny's unspoken lead she played dead and tried to project the stiffness of a limp noodle.

Her captor grunted as they descended what felt like a steep flight of stairs. She desperately wanted to open her eyes to see if Danny was being brought to the same place as she. She didn't like him but having him near brought her comfort. Two against whatever number of these guys was better than just one.

Lindsay was unceremoniously dumped onto a cold pavement floor. She did her best to fall like a dead person and ignore the sharp pain that shot through her left side. Hearing the unmistakable sound of a lock clicking shut and then silence, Lindsay waited for what felt like an eternity before opening her eyes. There was a tall heat lamp in the middle of an otherwise bare room – no windows, no furniture. Just four concrete walls of a dank, cold basement.

Only now, in her solitary confinement, did Lindsay have time to process what was happening. She and Danny had been hijacked. And ambushed. And kidnapped. That much was clear. The who and why had Lindsay thoroughly bewildered and she fought waves of panic that the possibilities brought. Was this part of the urban crime her parents had nervously and constantly warned her about? If they were after the car or money they would not have gone through all the trouble of transporting her and Danny to wherever they were now. Being held for ransom didn't make much sense either, unless Danny Messer was sitting on some fortune.

But Lindsay's gut was telling her this was more threatening and disturbing than that. She couldn't help the sob that escaped at that reality. Was she going to be raped? Killed? What could she do? This was a nightmare, she was going to die here – and she wouldn't know why or the identity of the killer.

Taking a few deep breaths, Lindsay attempted to calm down. She needed to find a way out. There was no obvious escape route except for the door at the top of the stairs. There were big, scary men on the other side of that door but Lindsay would deal with one thing at a time. First she'd get her hands free, then she'd worry about what was waiting for her on the floor above.

Her bindings didn't feel like rope, but the plastic zip-tie kind that police sometimes used. Regardless, it was tightly bound around her wrists and painfully cut into her skin whenever Lindsay tried to loosen it. Lindsay wished she hadn't had to check her Swiss Army knife with her luggage – it would have come in pretty handy right about now..

She raised herself onto her knees and scanned the room one more time. Concrete, more concrete and a lamp. No sharp edges anywhere. Lindsay threw her head back in frustration, her hair clip jostling from her head. _Her hair_! She frantically shook her head until the bobby pin holding the front layers of her hair fell. She quickly scooted around until her back was to the pin and grasped it with her fingers. If her handcuffs were the standard issue police kind then she had a trick up her sleeve.

* * *

Danny almost shouted for the thugs to stop when they dragged Lindsay out of the van, afraid of what they were going to do to her. But he was powerless to help her anyway so he held his tongue until he had a more solid plan in place. After Lindsay had been removed someone had grabbed him and threw him onto the ground. It was nighttime and all Danny could see around him were trees.

"Alright Messer, tell us where he is and I will let you go."

The words were said with a thick Russian accent, but Danny understood them clearly – especially the part with his last name. This person knew him, which had his mind scrambling. Danny attempted to get a look at the man's face but the darkness was better than a mask.

"Who…what are you talking about?" Apparently this was not the right answer because he was kicked in the stomach, then the man hunched over him and punched him in the face. Danny tasted blood and sharp streaks of pain shot through his nerve endings.

"Do not play games with me! Where is he?" The question came out as a roar this time.

Danny yelled when he was once again stomped in the stomach. When his breath came back he said, "I don't know what you want." He tried to speak clearly and reasonably, hoping that some reason would rub off on the maniac trying to kill him.

"I want Sonny Sassone and you will tell me where he is." The words were a hiss this time and followed by another punch.

Danny ignored the pain as everything suddenly became clear and more confusing at the same time. Sonny Sassone made sense – the Tanglewood Boys, drug deals and money laundering, his brother Louie, their feud with their Russian counterparts. The puzzle tenuously fell into place in Danny's mind. The missing piece was what role Danny played. Danny felt himself get angry as he realized his good for nothing brother had somehow gotten him involved in this mess.

Their relationship was tenuous at best and for the most part Danny avoided Louie because of his connection with the Tanglewood Boys. They were nothing but trouble and Danny wanted no part of it. Somehow, though, the Russian mob thought he was involved in whatever the Tanglewood Boys were up to. All of this sunk into Danny as he took another kick to the gut.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"If you know what's good for you, you'll talk." The man approached Danny and he braced for another blow. Instead he was lifted off the floor and shoved forward. Danny thought about fighting back but the gun pressed to his head changed his mind. "Move it."

Danny saw a small house that the trees had originally blocked from his view. He was led into what he guessed was a basement. He was pushed onto the floor and landed on his knees. He was relieved to see Lindsay crouched against one of the walls. She didn't look hurt; hopefully they hadn't treated her with the same kind of hospitality as he. Danny could see his tormentor clearly now - tall, muscular, ugly, blonde and boorish. He didn't recognize him. Another man with similar features made his way into the basement and started talking in Russian. They both turned their attention to Danny.

"The next time I tell you to talk you'd better do it. I doubt your little girlfriend here will hold up very well with what we will do to her." The man pulled a knife out of his pocket and held it up to the light to examine the blade. "How do you think she'll like having each finger broken one by one – and how do you think you'll like watching? Or if that doesn't work we can always try cigarette burns on her pretty little face."

He went on to describe acts so vile that Danny felt sick to his stomach. He had no illusions that the Russian was just talking, just trying to scare both he and Lindsay. They were going to use her to make Danny talk and would do exactly what they were describing to make that happen. Danny moaned.

The Russian chuckled. "Messer, are you going to let us do that to your sweetheart? All it takes are the right words from you to stop it. Or perhaps you've spilled your secrets to her and she'll be the one to break first."

"I keep telling you, I don't know what you're talking about and she's not my girlfriend." Maybe if they knew Lindsay wasn't important to him they wouldn't hurt her. He doubted it but it was worth a try.

He looked over at Lindsay. She wasn't crying or frantic. In fact, he had to admit she appeared eerily calm. She held his gaze for a moment then averted her eyes to look at some point beyond his shoulder. Then quickly back to his. Then back beyond him. Then met his gaze again. Maybe she _was_ losing it, Danny thought.

Before he could figure it out Lindsay leapt to her feet and sprinted for the heat lamp. She grabbed it and swung it at the first captor. The man screamed as the large bulb scalded his face. Lindsay swung one more time, this time crashing the lamp on top of his skull. The man crumpled onto the floor.

A stunned Danny rose to his feet, his hands still uselessly handcuffed behind him. As the unburned man turned toward him, Danny kicked and made contact with his crotch. Howling, the man doubled over in pain. Danny followed with another kick to his chin that left him knocked out cold.

"Let's go!" Lindsay shouted as she grabbed Danny's arm and raced up the stairs. They found themselves in a kitchen of what seemed to be a small, sparsely furnished house.

"Check for keys," Danny yelled. Lindsay scoured the countertops and table. Throwing open all the drawers she finally found what she was looking for.

"Here!" Danny was instantly beside her as she ran through the back door and into driver's seat of the van they had arrived in. Danny dropped into the passenger seat.

"Drive!" He bellowed for no reason other than the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Lindsay put the van in gear and stepped on the gas so hard that the vehicle shot forward like a rocket.

* * *

**A/N**: A huge thanks to **mel60** for the beta help. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Lindsay attempted to get her breathing under control and concentrate on driving. The road was winding and narrow and she had no idea where she was or where she was going. Maneuvering any vehicle at such speed under the conditions was suicide – but so was doing anything else, she realized.

"How'd you get free?"

Lindsay looked over at Danny, startled by his question. She'd been so focused on driving and what she'd just done that she had almost forgotten he was there. The darkness could not disguise his bruised and battered face. His cheek was swollen and an ugly gash marred his lip. His glasses sat crookedly on his nose. A smear of blood covered his chin and a red circle surrounded one of his eyes. He did not look good.

"A bobby pin. It's a trick I learned back home. If you slide it into the clasp in the right spot you can loosen the bands."

"That was amazing." Danny was beyond impressed at what she'd done. It had taken guts and courage that he didn't think she had.

Lindsay found no pride in his words. All she could think about was how unsafe she was. She needed answers. "What did they want with you?"

"They're looking for someone and think I know where he is."

"Do you?"

"No," Danny shouted defensively.

"They want to kill me because of you. I have every right to ask questions." Lindsay felt her temper sizzle and she glowered at him.

"If they were going to kill us they would have already done it. They need us alive as long as they think we know something."

Instead of comforting her, his words killed the tiny flicker of hope that they would somehow be able to easily escape from this mess. As long as they were alive they would be hunted. "What are we going to do?" she whispered more to herself than Danny.

Danny looked at her, finding it impossible to read the feelings behind those brown eyes. "We're going to ditch this van as soon as we can. Then we'll take it from there."

Before Lindsay could process his plan, a dull roar interrupted her thoughts. Her eyes widened at the two beams of light she saw in her rear view mirror that were gaining on them – they were being followed.

"Shit," Danny said, "Step on it."

Hitting the gas for all it was worth, Lindsay concentrated on keeping the van on the road. They both instinctively ducked when a hail of bullets pummeled into the van.

"Oh my God!" Lindsay screamed, her head lowered so that her eyes just peered over the steering wheel. She jammed her foot onto the gas so hard that Danny, still hampered by his handcuffs, was practically thrown out of his seat. Cursing, he kept his head down and attempted to watch the progress of their stalkers through the passenger side mirror.

"Just keep calm. Try not to run off the road."

_Keep calm!_ Lindsay wanted to laugh hysterically, but she was too busy trying to get rid of the men trying to kill her.

"Turn right!" Danny shouted.

"Where?"

"Here!"

Lindsay barely saw the narrow dirt road that cut through a swathe of trees, but she turned the wheel with everything she had praying that the van wouldn't tip over from her effort.

"Cut the lights." Danny sounded terse but in control. Lindsay listened. Darkness enshrouded them and Lindsay could no longer make out the road. She hit the brakes and the van came to a stop with a painful squeal.

The rumbling of their captors' car finally passed them, breaking the deafening silence. Relief only lasted for a split second, however, because Lindsay knew they still weren't safe. She looked helplessly at Danny who was concentrating on some spot down the road. She didn't even know this man but she might very well die because of him.

"I'm driving straight to the nearest police station. I can't be involved with this."

"Lindsay. Look, whether you like it or not you are involved in this. We don't even know where we are. We don't know where the closest police station is. These people will stop at nothing to get what they want. They obviously set up that detour to catch us. That's not a simple undertaking – the police, the department of transportation, city officials they're paying off – they must have all been involved. We don't know who we can trust right now. Do you understand?"

"No. I do not. You're exaggerating." Fear almost made her voice shriek.

"You don't trust me and that's fair. I know you're scared. You have every right to be scared but at this point these guys are after both of us and they are killers. You have to trust me that we're safer not going to the police right now. You either have to trust me or risk your life to find out otherwise."

He had a point, Lindsay conceded. The bruises stood out more vividly now on Danny's face, reminding her that he was in danger too. They were in this together, whether they liked it or not.

"If I'm going to die with you, can you at least tell me what they're after?"

Danny took a deep breath. How did he explain what he could barely wrap his own mind around? When he finally spoke his voice was low. "My brother is in a gang, the Tanglewood Boys. Basically a bunch of deadbeat Italian guys from Staten Island led by Sonny Sassone. They're mostly into gambling and some drugs but over the past year they've forayed into black market drugs and money laundering and in the process stepping on the toes of the Russian mob. I've had a couple of run-ins with Sonny when he was a suspect but that's the extent of my contact with him. He must have disappeared and for whatever reason the Russian mob needs him. Maybe he stole something, or sabotaged them or ordered a hit on one of their crew. I don't know. They think I know where he is, probably because of the connection to my brother. But I don't." Danny paused. "That's it. That's all I know."

Lindsay did her best to digest this, feeling a little better now that she had some semblance of understanding. "So what do we do now?"

"We get rid of the van and start walking. Head to those trees up there. It'll be hidden until morning."

Lindsay did as she was told and slipped out of the van. She would have to make the best of the hand she was dealt and refused to act like a distressed damsel. Rummaging through the back in search of anything they could use, Lindsay came out with a screwdriver and dusty blanket.

"Come here," she said to Danny who had also circled to the back of the van.

"What's that for?" he asked, eying the screwdriver suspiciously.

"Your handcuffs."

"Oh, right."

"Turn around."

Her hands touched his lower back to finagle the screwdriver into the clasp - and drew back instinctively. She did not like touching him, even for so necessary a reason. There was something…stimulating about it, even considering their ridiculous circumstances. Maybe it was the primitive maleness that seemed to be emanating from him now that his survival instincts had kicked in. Shaking her head at her silliness, she forced the screwdriver into the plastic and loosened the bindings until his hands shot free.

"Thanks." Danny looked at Lindsay for a moment through the darkness. He could see her eyes sparkling – from fear or adrenaline or some combination of both he wasn't sure. He had to remind himself that she had arrived in New York just that morning – if it even was still the same day. It felt like weeks since he'd met her at the airport. His first impression of her walking down that arrival gate had been way off, he realized. She was tough.

"Ready?"

Lindsay wasn't exactly sure what she was agreeing to but with a nod of her head they headed into the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

Danny's sore and bruised body protested his every step but he forced his muscles to move. For the hundredth time in the past hour he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to see if by some miracle he had a signal, which he hadn't had since they'd started walking. He desperately wanted to get in touch with someone, anyone for help. He wished he knew where he was, and wasn't even sure what destination he was trying to reach. Until something made sense, he would just keep on walking.

He heard the crunches of Lindsay's footsteps behind him. He felt badly that he'd given her a hard time at the airport. He'd misjudged her. He actually thought they would've gotten along and worked well together if they hadn't gotten off on the wrong foot. He liked her spunk which was surprising considering how sweet she looked. She hadn't complained once but instead soldiered through this disaster.

He liked her courage under fire. It was attractive. As were other parts of her which he'd noticed at the airport, but their circumstances seemed to bring out even more. He'd gotten flutters of awareness more than once since during their trek – when he'd held her hand to help her over a stream, when she bit her lower lip whenever she was deep in thought. He did his best to excuse these sensations to being supercharged – mentally and physically.

* * *

The long, effortless strides that Lindsay began walking with had become labored and short, struggling through the unevenness of the ground and darkness of the woods. The little thicket of trees they'd started out in had turned into a full-fledged forest with vines and branches and skittering animals. Lindsay walked slightly behind Danny but made sure to keep up with him – he was the only security she had. 

The comfort she felt from his presence was mixed with plenty of frustration. It was his fault she was in this mess, it was his fault everything kept getting more complicated, it was his fault that they might die. Plus, he hadn't yet disproved that he was a jerk.

Lindsay was concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other but the ache in her legs was becoming unbearable. She'd dressed for a day at the lab and her choice of shoes was not conducive to a comfortable hike. Just when she thought she couldn't go any further she bumped into Danny. She'd been so focused on her mantra of 'left, right, left, right' that she hadn't realized he'd stopped.

"We should stay here for the night," Danny said.

He'd stopped at a grouping of boulders, which formed a small overhang. She didn't know about Danny but this would certainly be the most unusual place she'd ever spent the night. Even at its roughest, farm life always had at least a cot to offer. It didn't look very comfortable – it was basically a bed of dirt and overgrown foliage. But Lindsay wasn't about to argue - the idea of rest was so appealing that she would have settled for a pile of leaves.

"Do you think they'll find us here?"

"No, I don't think so. They couldn't have followed us through the forest in the dark. Tomorrow is a different story. We should sleep here while we can."

Danny moved around the small space clearing the branches and rocks littering the ground. From the way he would touch his ribs and wince, Lindsay knew he was suffering.

"Are you going to be okay?" Lindsay asked.

He was in pain but it didn't compare to his mental anguish. He felt guilty for getting Lindsay involved in this mess, he hated his brother for getting him involved in this mess and his insides were in one big knot over worry about how they'd get out of it. "I'll be fine."

Lindsay had a feeling he wouldn't have admitted otherwise. He seemed to be one of those macho types who never admitted their feelings or showed any weakness – she knew plenty of guys like that in her life. She collapsed onto the ground under the rocks, resting her head on her bent arms and knees. She would be asleep in no time.

"If we're going to share the blanket we should probably stay closer together."

"Oh…right." Lindsay had forgotten about the blanket she'd grabbed from the van that Danny had been carrying. She hesitated, nervous about the prospect of spending the night so close to this relative stranger. She scooted next to him and sat rigidly for a few moments. Then, feeling the welcome warmth from the blanket and Danny's body next to her, she slowly relaxed. She felt her eyes start to close and heard a decided soft snore that told her Danny was already fast asleep. Before she knew it her lids dropped and she joined Danny in slumber.

* * *

The air Lindsay was breathing was so cold that she burrowed against the warmth beside her – a soft, warm pillow. Her eyes opened to encounter Danny's chest. Her arms, she discovered, were wrapped around his torso. Lindsay could feel every solid muscle, every hollow, his heat. They had instinctively curled together under the blanket in defense against the cool night. Lindsay's eyes widened at her current arrangement with Danny. Despite the embarrassment she knew she would feel if she were caught like this she still couldn't quite remove herself from her position - it was just too warm and comfortable to give up. But when Danny stirred Lindsay quickly stood up to detach herself from the intimate contact. 

Danny groggily looked up at Lindsay, shielding his eyes from the sun. She looked tired and disheveled – exactly how he felt. Despite his aching body he knew they could not stay here any longer. Daylight made them easier targets. He reluctantly got off the ground. His sleep had been fitful and filled with strange dreams about Russian gangsters that morphed into horned monsters. Lindsay had been asleep every time he'd woken up so hopefully she'd had a better night than he. It was a bit strange laying next to her. It was the first time he'd spent a night with a woman and literally only slept with her. Depending on the woman he would have normally offered her breakfast or made a hasty retreat.

"We should get going," he said as he gathered the blanket and handed it to Lindsay.

They walked for hours in silence, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Under different circumstances the setting would have been idyllic – the air was warm, the scenery of the forest was beautiful, birds sung in the trees. It was hard to believe that in the midst of such serenity evil men were searching for them, wanting them dead.

"Lindsay, look."

Lindsay turned to where Danny was pointing. Directly below where they stood was a winding country road with a mom-and-pop gas station. A battered black Chevy was in the gravel parking lot.

"Oh my God," Lindsay whispered. She almost giggled from excitement. _They were saved!_ She'd feared they would end up walking to Florida, but that battered gas station was like an oasis in the desert. They could finally get help and out of harm's way. Danny didn't immediately move to descend the hill but surveyed the area. Everything seemed safe enough, but he still wanted to be cautious.

"Wait here. I'll be right back," he said.

"What? Why? We can get help now."

"Remember what I said about not knowing who we can trust? We can't let our guard down yet."

Lindsay knew he was right and nodded. "Be careful," she said as Danny started down the hill. She watched him for a moment before realizing this would be an opportune time to take care of a pressing need she'd been ignoring for some time. She went behind a bush and immediately felt better.

When she came out Danny was nowhere in sight but the black truck was pulling out of the parking lot. A hand attached to an arm wearing a shirt suspiciously similar to Danny's frantically waved from the driver's window. Lindsay's eyes widened but she ran down the hill. He'd either completely lost his mind or had a good reason for committing grand theft auto. Up to this point he'd been fairly sensible so she was leaning towards the latter.

"You're stealing a car?" she accused breathlessly as she plopped into the seat beside him. Danny looked terse, his brow drawn together. "What's the matter?"

Danny threw a newspaper onto her lap. She saw that it was the Wednesday edition of the Chautauqua Chronicle. That meant it had been forty-eight hours since she'd arrived at the airport and was now somewhere in upstate New York. She gasped when her eyes moved down to a headshot of Danny on the front page. Under the bold headline 'Symbol Slayer Suspect' she read, _A nationwide search is underway for Daniel Messer, an employee of the New York City Crime Lab. He has been identified as a prime suspect in the slew of killings over the past five months_. Lindsay skimmed the rest – Danny's DNA and blood were found at the latest scene, he was believed to be traveling with an unidentified female, motive was unknown.

"Oh my God!" Lindsay said for what felt like the millionth time in the past day. She looked over at Danny in horror. For a split second she believed what she'd just read. Then her mind began to work.

"The Russians did this?" she gasped.

"They must have. Looks like they just want me dead now. Every cop in the country will be after me, and they all will have quick trigger fingers." Danny was oddly calm about the situation only because he was in the business of evidence and he knew that the evidence would eventually prove the truth. Another part of him, however, had him feeling in over his head. He was dealing with dangerous men and even he couldn't be absolutely certain that evidence would overcome the scheming of evil minds.

Lindsay sat wordlessly as she folded the paper in her lap. She felt like she was trapped in some kind of nightmare that she couldn't wake up from. They drove in silence, both unsure of how to break it, until Lindsay realized she didn't even know where they were going. She hadn't even questioned Danny's judgment. She found it strange that she trusted him considering she didn't like him very much, but she did.

"Where are we going?"

"A friend of mine has a cabin about an hour from here. He's in Europe for the summer so it'll be empty. We can't go back to the city yet – we have bull's-eyes on our back right now and that's the first place they'll look. I'm going to get in touch with Mac as soon as I can and try to get this all figured out. We can trust him. Until then, we lay low."

Danny paused to look at Lindsay. She looked worried. She had every right to be and he felt badly that he was the source of her concern. Maybe food would help – it always helped him clear his mind. "If you want something to eat I picked up some candy and chips."

Lindsay gave him a half-hearted smile but didn't take anything. Danny drove for a half hour, along the twisting road in a southwesterly direction, before he spotted another small gas station. It was almost an exact replica of the last one, except for an ancient looking pay phone on a crumbling wall. Danny turned into the station and fished in his pockets until he pulled out several coins.

"Hang tight. I'm going to call Mac."

Lindsay watched him jog to the phone. He was animated as he talked – his free hand alternating from waving in the air, to rubbing his forehead to resting on his hip. After a few minutes he made his way back to the van and Lindsay attempted to read his expression but couldn't determine if the call had gone well or not.

Danny got into the truck and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure where to start – how shocked and angry Mac had been – not at him but the situation. Or how tangled the web they seemed to be trapped in kept becoming. He decided to just stick to basics. He could barely make sense of it himself and didn't want to scare Lindsay any more than necessary.

"Mac agrees that it's a good idea that we hang low here until its safe. He thinks there's a mole in the police department or the lab or both and that's how they planted my blood. He's going to work the evidence until he gets a break. Other than our immediate team at the lab and Flack at the station, he's not going to tell anyone he knows where we are. I have sporadic cell reception at the cabin, so we'll just wait to hear from him."

"What do you think our chances are of getting out of this mess?" Lindsay asked.

"If Mac can prove the evidence was planted. If Flack can smoke out the Russian mob and find Sonny Sassone. If we can connect all the dots, then our chances are pretty good."

"That's a lot of if's."

"Yeah."

Lindsay could sense the hesitation in his answer. She was both glad and sorry that the situation unnerved him as much at it did her. She didn't feel like such a coward, but on the other hand, a very small part of her thought it would be nice to have a fearless hero leading her to safety.

Danny continued driving until he saw a sign for High Ridge Parkway, 2 miles and pulled off the road. Lindsay looked nervously around. "Why are we stopping?"

"We need to ditch the truck. I'm sure it's been reported missing by now. The cabin is a few miles from here. We'll have to walk the rest of the way."

Great, another hike Lindsay thought as she slid out of the van. Instead of doing the same, Danny reversed the truck back down the road. _What was he doing?_ Suddenly the truck whizzed by. The unmistakable sounds of a tremendous crash followed seconds later, making Lindsay sprint towards the noise. When she reached the bend in the road she saw an opening in the wooden guardrail lining the road. With dawning horror, Lindsay peered down the edge of the road.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit," Lindsay said to no one. It was amazing how stress could strip away years of country manners. But sometimes a swear word was all that would do to express the way she was feeling. Like now. Some twenty feet below the road, the truck rested – overturned, wheels still spinning, shooting out smoke.

"I didn't know country girls had mouths like sailors," said a voice behind her. Danny was laughing at her. His hand reached to gently tap her chin, which had been hanging open. A wave of relief washed over her as she realized he wasn't crushed into pieces under that truck.

She swatted at his hand. "You could have given me some warning, you know, that you were going to do that."

"Well, considering how you reacted to me stealing the truck I thought it would be best to keep you in the dark of my other criminal activity."

"Since when did you become James Bond or Jack Bauer…or whoever?"

"Just trying to keep us alive. If they find the truck they find us. Besides, I kept the good stuff." He lifted the bag of snacks and blanket he'd been holding. Danny nodded in the direction of the woods and led her towards the cabin.

* * *

The sun was hanging low in the sky by the time they came upon the cabin. It was small, barely disrupting the landscape of trees it was perched under. 

"Do you think we can break in?" Lindsay asked when she saw the windows were boarded.

"Might as well add breaking and entering to my rap sheet," Danny joked as they walked up to the door. All he could do at this point was laugh about everything he'd done the past two days. It was either that or totally lose it.

With a smile, Lindsay pulled out the screwdriver she had pocketed earlier from the Russians' van and waved it in front of Danny. "If you think I'm good with a bobby pin you should see what I can do with a screw driver."

After a few minutes of finagling with the lock and knob, Lindsay pushed on the door. It opened with a rusty creak. With a that's-my-girl look Danny walked past Lindsay through the door. The cabin was dark and musty. It was one room, bare of furniture except for a small bed in one corner, a potbellied stove in another and a wall of shelves lined with ancient looking canned goods.

"Your friend was a minimalist?" Lindsay commented.

"He used this for hunting season, liked to rough it out. It's not the Sheraton but it's better than nothing."

Acknowledging the truth to that, Lindsay's camping experiences kicked in. "We should start a fire."

"I'll get wood." Danny left the cabin and Lindsay examined the contents of the shelves. The dusty labels revealed cans and cans of corn and carrots, a few bottles of water and a box of matches. Danny's friend might be a minimalist but he knew about essentials, which was all Lindsay cared about at the moment. Grabbing a few cans she began to attack them with the screwdriver until she managed to make decent sized holes in each lid.

When Danny came back he was carrying a bundle of sticks and leaves and started a flame under the stove. Lindsay set the cans on top of the stove to heat and embraced the warmth from the fire. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until the smell of food made her dizzy and she suddenly couldn't wait to devour a can of corn. She knew Danny shared her craving when she heard his stomach growl. It was nice having someone sharing her misery.

"Let's eat," Danny said, picking up the cans. She sat with him, crossed leg, on the floor and proceeded to consume the vegetables in one of the more uncivilized fashions she'd ever imagined eating – a combination of drinking from the can and scooping the contents with her fingers. It was surprising how delicious vegetables could be when one was hungry enough.

After completing their makeshift meal, Lindsay wiped her hands on her pants and disposed their cans on a windowsill. _Now what?_, she thought, struggling to find something to talk to Danny about to fill the increasing stretch of silence. Up until now it seemed they were in constant motion with no time for conversation, but now it was just them in this room and there was nothing to do except talk. It seemed strange to bring up the weather after everything they'd been through but at the same time she didn't know him well enough to bring up anything personal.

"I'm sorry about being a jerk." Danny said out of the blue, while he tended the fire.

"What?"

He stopped his fiddling at the stove and looked directly at her. "When I picked you up at the airport. I was a jerk. Just having a bad day I guess. Sorry."

Lindsay was shocked by his apology, but reading nothing in his expression to doubt his sincerity she said, "Don't worry about it." If life and death situations like this did anything, it was remind a person how silly it was to hold petty grudges. Beside, she had an inkling that he wasn't as rough and tough as he'd made himself out to be. He would always check on her while they were hiking – quick but constant glances back to her, giving her the blanket to wrap around her shoulders even though he was just as cold, occasionally stopping to let her rest.

"So, did you come up here a lot with your friend?"

"A couple times. Can't say hunting is really my thing."

"The bed seems pretty small for two men," Lindsay said with a smile.

"We'd flip a coin to see who got the bed, loser slept in a sleeping bag."

Lindsay immediately considered their own sleeping arrangements. She desperately wanted the comfort of a bed but Danny's injuries would make sleeping on the floor brutal. Unless they…_shared_.

Danny, as if reading her mind, smiled at Lindsay's panicked expression. "Don't worry. You get the bed. I'm actually exhausted. I'm going to hit the sack. Or floor, I should say."

He burrowed under the bed until he pulled out a sleeping bag. Guiltily, Lindsay watched him shake it out and spread it at the foot of the bed. The bag could hardly be considered adequate cushioning against the floor. When he started unbuttoning his shirt she quickly turned away so he didn't think she was watching him. With all her good intentions, however, she couldn't help herself.

She'd spent a good portion of the past two days walking behind and near this man and she would by lying if she said she hadn't admired his lean and muscular physique. So she watched, feeling a quickening of her senses. The white tank top under his shirt revealed tanned, broad shoulders and chest that tapered into a narrow waist beneath his jeans. She could practically see his muscles ripple underneath the thin white material as he moved. When he started to unbuckle his belt she almost gasped. Instead, she turned away before she got caught drooling.

When she managed to look back Danny was settled into the sleeping bag. "Night Lindsay."

"Good night." Lindsay used his inattention to quickly strip down to her camisole and underwear and jump into bed. She heard Danny shifting and knew he was uncomfortable.

"Danny?"

"Yeah."

"I think you should sleep in the bed, with your injuries and everything. I'll stay on the floor."

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine."

She knew he was just trying to be a gentleman, but this wasn't time for displays of etiquette. She got out of bed and gave Danny a light kick in the leg.

"Hey, what was that for."

"Will you just get in the bed? We need to be in fighting shape here and could both use a decent night's sleep. Plus it'll be warmer. We're adults – we can both stay in the bed."

She had valid points, Danny realized. And anything was more appealing than the hard floor currently making his muscles scream. "Alright, alright. You win."

He got off the floor and slid under the covers, welcoming the luxuriousness of the simple sheet and comforter. When Lindsay followed, Danny reacted in a way he didn't like at all. The size of the bed forced her to be pressed lightly against him. She was all soft and smooth and female. He was pretty sure this wasn't what Lindsay had meant when she'd argued they could share body heat, but she in only her skimpy clothes next to him definitely had him feeling warm.

The inside of the cabin was dark but alive with shadows from the glow of the stove. Lindsay could hear an occasional hoot of an owl. She tried not to think of the other creatures – and people – lurking in the forest.

"Danny?"

"Hmmm." He sounded sleepy.

"Do you think they're still looking for us?"

"Without a doubt."

"Then…"

"I just don't think they'll look for us here. I think we lost them. If I didn't we wouldn't have stopped."

"All right."

Danny had already closed his eyes. Lindsay felt the tension slowly drain from her body. Their bed was toasty warm and she stretched her legs, no longer alarmed by the feel of Danny next to her. Despite the cabin and the Russians and violence and everything else she felt ridiculously safe. Her eyes were closing and she sighed once before she drifted to sleep.

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks to **mel60** for the beta and thanks for reading! 


	5. Chapter 5

Danny was sitting up in bed, leaning against the backboard watching Lindsay sleep. He felt a little like a creep watching her like that but the gentle rise and fall of her back with each breath was almost hypnotizing.

Dusk had fallen on their second evening in the cabin and the day had flown by. Though their morning had started with small-talk they somehow lapsed into a comfortable dialogue that made him almost forget about why they were in the cabin in the first place.

--

"_What does the 'A' stand for?" Lindsay fiddled with the badge Danny had left on the bed and wondered about the middle initial on his identification. _

"_Anthony. How about you, what's your middle name?" _

"_Names aren't really that important, are they?" _

"_Yeah. What's in a name?" Danny quoted the only passage of Shakespeare he knew. _

"_That's brilliant. Have you ever thought about writing it down?"_

"_Actually, I have. I don't think it would sell though."_

_Laughing, Lindsay reluctantly revealed the middle name she hated so much, "Beatrice, after my grandmother." _

_Lindsay blushed at Danny's response. "That's a pretty name, it's different." _

--

"_Women can't wait to convince you of their innocence. They chatter, tell you more than you asked. Men keep it simple and stay calm," Danny explained his theory on the role of gender in interrogations. _

"_In addition to being sexist, you are wrong. Women are excellent liars because they're used to acting all the time. Whether it's pretending to like an in-law or faking orgasms." _

_Danny spit out the water he'd just sipped._

--

"_You know Montana, I have a feeling I've just been hustled. I'm not playing anymore." _

_Lindsay arched an eyebrow at her new nickname but liked the tingle it sent to her stomach. "Come on, Messer. Another game will give you a chance to win back some of the money you've lost." It wasn't money exactly, more like raisins they found on the shelf. Lindsay had suggested a game of poker when she'd also found the deck of cards. _

"_No thanks. I know when to call it quits." He hadn't won a game yet and was pretty sure he wouldn't no matter how long they played. Lindsay Monroe was full of surprises he was learning. Whether it was her MacGyver-esque abilities with a screwdriver or her poker skills. _

_--_

"_I swear to God," Danny exclaimed with his hands raised. Though Lindsay couldn't see his face completely, there was no missing his sudden grin. He was teasing her she realized, and realized that she had a lot to learn about Danny Messer. There was more to this rough and tough New Yorker than met the eye. _

_--_

"_It was kind of gross. It was quick. And I laughed through the whole thing."_

_Danny wasn't sure how they'd gotten on the topic of losing their virginity but he couldn't help but laugh at Lindsay's recollection. He also couldn't help the thoughts of what she'd be like in bed now._

--

"_Where did this come from?" Lindsay touched a spot on Danny's left shoulder. _

_Danny had to stop himself from jumping at her touch. "My scar?" He always forgot about the three inch jagged line that he'd gotten from a fight with his brother that had gotten out of control when they were teenagers. _

"_A character mark. That's what my mother called all our scars."_ _Lindsay traced her finger down the small line, making Danny's skin goosebump. She thought the name fit Danny. He certainly had character. He made her feel safe and almost made her forget about the horrors that might come their way outside the four walls of the cabin. _

_--_

"_How do you stand her?" Danny asked. _

"_It's not a matter of me standing my mother. It's more like her putting up with me. I don't think I'm the daughter she was expecting. I'm hopeless at all the things she considers important – specifically marriage and settling down. But she loves me anyway. And I love her too. We're just…different, that's all."_

"_My mother's not like that at all," he said after a moment. "She keeps things simple and real and she'd defend her kids to the death. She supported us in whatever we wanted, especially me. I was her baby boy." _

"_She sounds great," Lindsay giggled. "I can't imagine you as anyone's baby boy." _

_Danny laughed, "I only revert when I'm home and get all fussed over. She'd like you." _

"_Your mom?"_

"_Yeah. You'll have to come to one our infamous Sunday dinners. So much food, like nothing you've had before. I guarantee it." _

_Lindsay smiled, hoping his invitation was genuine. _

_--_

_Danny tossed a Snickers bar and his cell phone to Lindsay. "I thought you might want to get in touch with someone back home…in case you have someone special to call."_

_Lindsay didn't take Danny's bait, but unwrapped her candy bar. Not until she'd taken a couple of bites did she say, "Is that your way of asking if I have a boyfriend back in Montana?" _

"_And here I thought I was being so subtle." _

"_Thanks for the Snickers." _

"_Is that your way of avoiding an answer?" _

_Laughing, Lindsay only continued eating. _

"_Do you have a boyfriend?" Danny asked again._

"_So much for subtlety." _

"_Subtlety wasn't working for me." _

"_No, I don't have a boyfriend. Do you have a girlfriend?" _

"_No." _

"_Well, I'm glad that's clarified." _

_They both stopped smiling and looked at each other. The stare stretched into seconds, then into moments. Lindsay self-consciously lowered her gaze._

_--_

"_I walked out of the bathroom and saw my friends. They were dead. There was blood everywhere. I saw who had done it but he was never found. I never knew why he'd done it. That's what bothered me the most. So that's why I became a CSI. Because I could make sense of crimes." _

_Lindsay hadn't talked about that day to anyone in ages and she wasn't sure why she was opening up to Danny now who'd simply asked why she became a CSI. Maybe it was the fact that he'd spent the past half hour talking about his brother and how much he loved him and hated him at the same time. She could tell how hurt he was by Louie and how difficult it was to talk about him. _

"_I never got over the guilt of that day. My spirit was dying in Montana. I could feel it. I needed to leave. So that's why I came to New York."  
_

"_I'm glad you did." _

--

Danny realized he'd shared more about himself with Lindsay in the past twenty four hours than he did with most other people in years. It must be the life and death circumstances they were under – making him unguarded. There was also something about Lindsay that disarmed him, made him _want_ to share things. He'd never met anyone like her. Two days ago she was beating up Russian gangsters and today she had fought back tears at the memories of her murdered friends. She was a curious combination of hard steel and soft magnolia.

The shrill of Danny's cell phone interrupted his thoughts. He jumped off the bed and answered it while wedged between the stove and window – the only pace where he had a signal.

"Mac, tell me you have good news." Danny didn't bother with proper greetings when he saw the caller ID.

"Actually I have excellent news. We found the moles in the lab and in the P.D. Both were working for the Russians. The tech managed to get his hands on your control samples. He told us everything once Flack threatened him with jail time. He was working with a cop who planted your DNA at the slayer scene. He's also been arrested."

Danny's mind could barely process what he'd just heard. As quickly as they'd gotten into this mess, it seemed they would get out of it thanks to Mac. "How'd you find the mole?"

"How we always find everything."

Danny could hear the smile in Mac's answer. "The evidence."

"We found olic adhesive mixed in your blood taken from the crime scene."

"What the heck is that?"

"Its most common use is in stamp collections. Adam remembered this tech talking about his extensive stamp collection and one thing led to another."

"That's crazy," Danny couldn't believe what he was hearing. He would not be arrested for the murders of six people. Everything was actually going to be okay – hopefully. "What about the Russians and Sassone?"

"The Russians have already been arrested and Flack is on his way to pick up Sassone. He's been hiding out in Connecticut. The Tanglewood Boys hijacked a hundred kilos of the Russians' cocaine, that's why they were looking for him."

"Why did they come after me?"

"They went after all the Tanglewood Boys and assumed you were in on it because of Louie. After a little one-on-one with Flack they now know that you were not."

Danny did his best to digest all this information – everything seemed so unreal.

"How's Lindsay doing?" Mac asked.

"Good, hanging in there."

"What a welcome to New York, huh?"

"Yeah, no kidding."

"Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Just can't wait to get back home."

"Well, a state trooper is already on his way to pick you guys up and should be there soon. He's going to bring you to a nearby hotel. I want you out of the city for one more night until Sassone is in custody and all our loose ends are tied up."

"Thanks Mac. See you tomorrow."

Even though his back was to her he knew Lindsay was waking up. They'd been co-habitating such a small space that he'd become aware of every breath she took, every move she made. He turned to give her the good news.

"We're getting out of here."

Lindsay immediately understood the meaning of his words – they were safe and everything would finally be okay. With a smile and sigh of relief Lindsay reacted impulsively. Not stopping to get details or think about it first, she leaped off the bed and hurled herself into a hug with Danny. As she let go, his fingers trailed along her arm and intertwined with hers. Stunned by the intimacy Lindsay inhaled sharply. Danny was rather surprised himself. A stillness settled over them. Each was aware of the other's suspended breath and heartbeats, of the pressure of his hand on hers. Slowly, he positioned himself until his face hovered above hers, until he could feel her breath and imagine his mouth on hers.

"Hello! You two kids in there?"

The unfamiliar voice cutting through the air made Lindsay jolt backward, breaking their contact.

"Mac Taylor sent me," the strange voice continued from outside the cabin. Danny cracked open the door and saw a uniformed trooper on an ATV.

"Looks like our ride is here."

"Great," she said, doing her best to not reveal how affected she'd been by the hug. Lindsay turned to glance around the room. It was ironic that her welcome to New York had been spent in the most rural of settings but she would never forget the past few days – this cabin, her time with Danny.

"Ready?" Danny asked.

The last time he'd asked her that they had spent hours hiking for miles and holed up in this cabin. She wondered what would happen next, now that they would be back in 'real life'. They'd survived this mess together, because of each other, and she knew she would always have that connection with Danny. But there was something more to her feelings that she was reluctant to admit – an attraction, deeper caring. Dismissing her train of thought to lack of sleep and decent food, she followed Danny out of the cabin, bracing herself for wherever this journey would take them next.

**

* * *

****A/N**: Wish I had a more original way of saying thanks to **mel60** for the beta and thanks for reading! 


	6. Chapter 6

Despite the upgrade in accommodations, Lindsay couldn't totally relax and enjoy the luxuriousness of the plush queen size bed or whirlpool bath of the hotel the trooper had brought them to. Her mind was preoccupied with the thoughts of Danny marching relentlessly through her mind. When she remembered how she felt whenever they were near each other, or how they had almost kissed, she felt her toes curl. She didn't understand the strong reaction she was having to a man she barely knew. Her turbulent mental state forced her to lie down and close her eyes.

She thought sleep would have been impossible so when she was abruptly awakened by a knock on her door her first reaction was surprise that she'd fallen asleep. Her second was wonder at who was waking her up. She peered through the peep-hole and opened the door.

"Danny?" She saw that he had showered and changed into the new shirt the trooper had managed to get for each of them. No matter what he wore, Lindsay knew she would always have a preference for the blue button down he'd worn to pick her up from the airport. Whether he knew it or not, he looked sexy in blue, and even with his miscellaneous bruises he was still strikingly handsome.

"Hey, Montana. I was going to head to the bar across the street. You interested?" Danny had spent the past hour in his room debating on whether or not to invite Lindsay out. He was normally confident when it came to women but there was something about her that had him off his game. He was interested in her but he couldn't quite get a read on her to know if she felt the same. He was pretty sure they almost kissed in the cabin but the extreme circumstances they'd been under seemed to have them playing under different rules. Tomorrow they would be back in the city and the bubble he felt they'd been in would burst. He wanted it to last just one more night.

"I don't think so. I'm pretty tired."

"Come on. Let's celebrate our escape from the clutches of the Russian mob. We've been through a lot the past few days. Let's relax, have some fun."

The corner of Lindsay's mouth curled at Danny's insistence and she couldn't resist. "Alright. Give me five minutes. I'll meet you downstairs."

With a satisfied smile, Danny left. He was happier than he'd expected by Lindsay's acceptance - it had to be some sort of sign that the attraction he felt wasn't one-sided. He excitedly made his way to the hotel lobby to wait for her.

Lindsay didn't need time to get ready. She was already wearing her new change of clothes and had no other tools at her disposal to tackle her appearance. She ignored the fact that she _wanted_ to appeal to Danny. Instead, she took the time to get her nerves under control for what suspiciously felt like a date with Danny Messer.

* * *

Music was being played by a DJ who offered a selection ranging from country to the current pop hits. It was late and the few remaining patrons hunkered on stools at the bar. Danny and Lindsay had taken residence at a booth and spent the past hour talking – as if they had never left the cabin. Now, though, they had settled into a comfortable silence.

Just as Danny said, "You want to dance?" Lindsay said, "We should get going."

"Go?" "Dance?" They spoke at the same time again. Danny wasn't sure where his request came from as he wasn't much of a dancer but he wanted to prolong this evening.

"Yeah, dance."

Lindsay's expression was full of uncertainty as she looked at him, but gave him a small smile. She'd barely survived a hug with this man and wasn't sure she'd make it off the dance floor. But she couldn't resist.

"All right. One dance." As they stood up Lindsay inhaled deeply, and released it slowly and shakily.

Danny had curbed every temptation to touch her while they'd been in the cabin, not wanting to scare her or come across as a creep. Now, though, he pulled her forward until they were close, standing toe to toe. He curved his arms around her waist and held her firmly against him. Lindsay raised her arms to his shoulders. He felt the warmth of her hands at the base of his neck. It was becoming impossible for him to ignore the attraction he felt - that he knew had stirred in him that day at the airport.

Danny recognized the song coming from the speakers but couldn't focus enough to name the title or singer. Had he heard it at any other time he would have thought it was too slow and sweet and sappy. But now it seemed perfect. He attempted to move his feet in a semblance of a dance but the longer he held Lindsay the more impossible it became to concentrate. His eyes were locked on hers and eventually both their feet stopped moving altogether. The heat emanating from every point of contact seemed to fuse them together. Lindsay stared into Danny's eyes and could imagine very well, all too well, kissing him. She could all but taste it. Instinctually, Danny dipped his head.

"We should go." Lindsay broke away and abruptly turned towards the exit.

For several seconds Danny was too stunned to react, and by the time he caught up with her she was already in the parking lot.

"Lindsay, wait up." He had to grab her elbow to stop her.

She turned to him and took a deep breath before directly looking at him. "Danny, I can't…do this."

"Do what?" In the brief time he had known her – barely four days yet it felt more like four years – he had learned that she kept her emotions under control. The less she showed, the more she felt. It was hard talking to someone like that. Whenever he felt something he said it. He wished she would be more direct.

"Whatever was about to happen in there."

"It was just a dance," he lied.

"Danny, if there's one thing we don't need right now it's that kind of complication. So let's just concentrate on getting back to the city and doing our jobs."

Lindsay hated the flinch that flashed across Danny's features. That's not really what she wanted. But she needed time. She barely knew this man and here she was contemplating what kind of kisser he was and thinking of ways she could remain in his arms forever.

Danny released her arm and stepped back, trying not to let his disappointment show. He'd been pretty sure the attraction and connection he felt with Lindsay had been mutual. Obviously he'd been wrong and that made him feel like total shit. He'd chalk his feelings for Lindsay up to extenuating circumstances or cabin fever…or something. He probably would have felt the same way with anyone he'd been held captive with in a confined space. Right?

"Alright, let's go," he said as he moved past Lindsay. They walked back to the hotel in silence.

**

* * *

****A/N:** A huge thanks to **mel60** for the beta. You'll probably recognize that I borrowed some of the conversation from 'Love Run Cold'. Thanks for reading! 


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**: Please note the **rating changed from T to M** for this final chapter. All my stories would be far worse if not for **mel60** who graciously beta'd this for me. Thanks for reading!

* * *

Danny was riding the elevator up from autopsy, doing what he found himself doing more often than not these days – thinking about Lindsay. A week had passed since they returned to the lab and, for Danny, the days had dragged by as he'd contemplated different ways to get things right between them. The trip back to the city had been awkward. Lindsay made small talk and responded appropriately to him but he sensed she was on guard around him. He worried that he'd pushed too far, rushed things. He hadn't meant to move fast but his sudden powerful reaction to Lindsay overwhelmed him. The only way he knew how to deal with it was to act.

Danny had thought, hoped actually, that seeing her in a normal work setting and under far less intense circumstances would have less of an impact on him – but just the opposite was true. He was constantly aware of her – whenever she walked into a room or heard her laugh carry through the hallways – and would swear that his heart literally sighed every time he saw her. He realized a female hadn't had such an intense and frustrating effect on him since high school.

But he wasn't a teenager and wanted more than the forced conversation and tense interactions they'd had all week. He thought about showing up at her home but that was a bit creepy. He thought about locking them in a room together until they sorted everything out but that was a bit drastic. Another idea suddenly settled in his mind. Something far less extreme – a date.

* * *

Entering the lobby of the crime lab building Lindsay thought about how fast her first week had flown by. She felt like she'd already been in the city a lifetime considering everything she'd been through and how quickly the team welcomed her. Her original impression of Mac seemed to be right on – serious but thoughtful. Stella was the headstrong detective with a hard-knock life. Hawkes was the intelligent M.E. turned CSI. Flack came from a family of cops and had a good sense of humor. Adam was the socially awkward tech and Sid the eccentric but loveable medical examiner.

And then there was Danny, of course. Everything appeared normal between them on the surface - they processed evidence, discussed cases - but thoughts of him would launch surprise attacks on her and she had a hard time staving them off. She found herself smiling at the memories of their shared meal of corn in a can or his silly jokes. Because of this she picked up the bad habit of lying to Danny – whether it was turning down lunch because of non-existent work or finding other excuses to avoid him. Lindsay hoped that she hadn't totally ruined things between them or hurt his feelings by walking away from him that night at the bar.

She wondered why that mattered so much. After all, she had only known him for a week. How could a practical stranger have come to mean so much to her so quickly? She just needed time. Time to wrap her head around this man and her feelings. She wanted to focus on her work, get acclimated to her new life – starting anything with Danny was just not in those plans.

Deciding that if she could survive a terrifying kidnapping she could handle simple interactions with a coworker, no matter how attractive he was, Lindsay headed for the elevators. As the doors opened she froze in her tracks, unprepared to see Danny.

"Going up?" Danny finally asked as he stopped the doors from closing. Unable to speak, Lindsay did her best to smile and stepped into the elevator. The doors closed, sealing them inside the small space.

Danny could smell Lindsay's fragrance and noted everything about her at once - hair, face, body. Lindsay's eyes were just as busy as Danny's, quickly touching all his features, noting the bruises on his face had faded. Their eyes connected and held for only seconds but it could have lasted an eternity and not have been more intense. It was so unnerving, Lindsay thought, that seemingly total absorption in whatever his eyes focused on. She hoped he somehow missed the blush she felt on her cheeks.

"How's it going?" Danny asked, finally breaking their silence. This was the perfect opportunity, he thought, now that there was no way she could rush off before he had his chance to make his next move.

"Great. How about you?"

"Good. Just looking for some records in autopsy."

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

_Found you didn't I?_ "It looks that way." There was another brief silence before Danny asked, "You ever go bowling?"

Lindsay was caught off guard by his question even though it was straightforward. "Umm…a long time ago when I was teenager. Why?"

"Thought maybe you'd like to roll a few games with me tomorrow." Danny wasn't sure why he picked bowling but it seemed safe and harmless. Nobody could get nervous about bowling.

Ten excuses crossed through her mind in two seconds – all lame enough to make her not use a single one. She knew what Danny was doing and knew she had a decision to make. If she said no she knew was turning down more than a simple night of bowling. Danny was asking her to take the next step in their relationship and saying no meant saying she wasn't interested. If she said no it would probably be one of those moments that she looked back on and wished she could do it all over again differently. She'd pushed so many men away for different reasons – her work, her past – but New York was supposed to be her fresh start and she suddenly realized she wasn't quite ready to add Danny to that list.

"Okay, sure. What time should I be ready?"

Danny couldn't ignore the shivery thrill that traveled through his body at her words. He had expected more resistance and was prepared to argue his case. He had backup suggestions ready to go – movies, a café, a walk in Central Park, making up something to do for work if necessary. Instead, he finalized plans before she changed her mind. "I'll pick you up at seven. We'll get dinner on the way."

"Sounds good. See you then." As they exited the elevator and headed in different directions Danny couldn't remember looking forward to an evening more.

* * *

Some time during her second glass of beer at the bowling alley, Lindsay finally relaxed. She'd agonized over what to wear and stressed over what to do with her hair. In the end she'd settled on jeans and knitted top hoping it looked casual enough to indicate she hadn't agonized. She'd worried about what they would talk about, stressed that things would be awkward. But she realized she had no reason to be nervous. Danny was wonderful to talk to and listen to – just as he'd been in the cabin. She laughed the whole evening until her sides ached. Danny was so attractive, so charming…so everything and she realized why she'd been so reluctant to start anything with him. Lindsay always had the belief that somewhere in the world was a man meant by fate just for her, her soul mate. Someone who she could fall madly in love with. Lindsay's head tilted as she looked at Danny, walking to his apartment next to her. Danny just might be that guy.

In Danny's mind it had been a perfect evening. Lindsay had relaxed again, becoming as easy and animated as she'd been in the cabin. Who would have thought bowling would have done it but he had to congratulate himself on finding the perfect plan.

He was careful not to touch her – there were a few brief brushes here and there but nothing came close to what he desperately wanted. He wasn't about to risk scaring her off again so he kept his hands in his pockets as Lindsay looked around his apartment.

"Is this Louie?" Lindsay asked, pointing to a frame on a book case.

"Yeah." Danny didn't have to look at the picture to know it was the one of him and Louie at a Mets game. It was one of his favorite pictures because it reminded him of the good times with his brother – a far cry from the mess Louie's life had become.

"Have you gone to see him?" Louie had been arrested for his role in the Russian drug heist and his foreseeable future would be spent behind bars.

Danny had visited Louie in prison and it had not gone well. Their brief time together separated by the plastic partition had been filled with anger and resentment. Danny was furious at his brother and shouted at him for getting him involved, for getting him and Lindsay almost killed. After the guard forcibly removed him Danny realized he'd overreacted. Louie had not directly caused the kidnapping but Danny could still not accept the life his brother had chosen.

"Yeah, I have. I feel like I messed up somehow, you know. That I should have been a better brother or done something differently. Then maybe Louie wouldn't be where he is now."

"It's not your fault Danny. There are so many different reasons that Louie chose to be a Tanglewood Boy and I'm sure none of them have to do with you. Sometime you just can't control things like that. Only God never makes mistakes, you know."

_Only God never makes mistakes_. He repeated what she'd just said in his mind. How could he reply to that? She couldn't have said anything more perfect. Danny had every intention of being a good host and gentleman, offering her something to drink, telling her more about himself and giving her the chance to adjust to being alone with him outside of the context of a kidnapping and run down cabin. But her words were causing him to have a moment. For Danny it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that he never really believed in before. The kind that movies try to capture on film with slow motion and dramatic music. The kind of moments musicians are always trying to describe in their songs. How could anyone describe the instant when it all comes together – the realization that no one could ever compare to Lindsay and nothing would never be the same again?

Later, he wouldn't recall reaching for her. He wouldn't remember placing his arms around her. It happened without thought. One second he was longing to hold her, and the next he was. He cupped her face between his hands and kissed her.

His kiss was warm and intense. When his tongue touched hers, Lindsay's heart flipped and her arms encircled his neck. He applied the perfect amount of pressure, leaving no question that she was being soundly kissed. Lindsay didn't even think about trying to stop him. There was nothing she wanted more. It didn't matter how long she'd known him or how overwhelming her feelings were. She liked Danny. A lot. And what a fool she'd be to let her cautious worrying get in the way. Abandoning thought, she focused instead on the way she felt pressed against him.

Danny lowered his hands to curve the small of her back and draw her against him. He angled his head and Lindsay counteracted. The longer they kissed the more ardent it became. Danny tested and tasted with his tongue until he had to pause to catch his breath. Trailing kisses down her neck, Lindsay's fingers combed through his hair. Danny's hands mimicked Lindsay's and she rolled her head back while he caressed her. Her breath caught when he released the clasp of her bra and brushed her bare skin. Her hands lifted his shirt over his head, throwing it to the side and roaming his back, each finger exploring muscle and skin.

Danny took Lindsay's hand and pulled her behind him as he moved across the living room and into his bedroom. They fell across the bed, twisted around one another with the mindless cravings of new lovers.

Slowly he undressed her. He needed to see what his hands had touched. He wasn't disappointed. She was beautiful. His hands skimmed over her breasts, down her ribs, onto a smooth stomach. He liked seeing his hands against her skin – the contrast in color and texture, liked watching her respond to his caresses. He leaned over her and kissed her so deeply that Lindsay's body arched off the bed. His fingers dipped between her thighs. Then inward. It wasn't long before she gave a soft cry and climaxed around his fingers.

He lightly grazed her lips as Lindsay slowly came back down. He moaned when she unbuckled his pants and closed her hand around him. He almost protested, told her he couldn't possibly get any more aroused than he already was. But when she nuzzled his neck and traced kisses down his chest he let her explore and massage, unable to stop his groans of pleasure. When he thought he was going to die from ecstasy he removed her hand and sank into her. The sensations were incredible, spreading through his body. He allowed everything else to drift out of his mind so he could savor this moment. Soon, though, sensations overtook them both and when release came it was like an explosion. Her nails dug into his back, they arched into each other until they ended up a tangled pile of limbs and sweat.

* * *

When Danny awoke it was still dark. Lindsay was sound asleep next to him, curled along his side. That had been the best sex of his life. The kind of sex that made him feel like he'd never known what it was all about before. But this wasn't about sex. Well, not entirely. This wasn't ordinary lust. He'd experienced that lots of times. He would recognize that. This was different. Deeper, more involving. He seemed to be in the grip of a…yearning. _Yearning? Would you listen to yourself, _Danny thought.

Rolling onto his back, Danny gazed up at the ceiling and conceded he didn't know the term for what he felt. It was foreign to him. He would figure it out later, he decided, as he drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Lindsay awoke to a soundly sleeping Danny. He was lying on his back, one leg thrust outside the covers, the sheet caught at his waist. One hand rested on his stomach, the other was nestled around her. Watching his chest rise and fall with peaceful breathing, she struggled with the urge to wake him up and tell him how she had no regret over last night and how much she wanted to be with him.

Danny finally stirred and looked at Lindsay. For some reason he was speechless despite the hundred thoughts in his mind. _That was incredible. You are incredible. I've never felt like this in my life. I don't want this to end_. But everything sounded either false or clichéd- even thought it was all true. So he said none of it.

"Are you trying to think of a graceful way to get rid of me now?" Lindsay asked.

"What?" Danny exclaimed. "No. _No_."

The mock serious face Lindsay had been struggling to keep broke with laughter and Danny joined her when he realized she was joking.

"I was actually trying to think of a way to get you to spend the day with me." Danny could tell that pleased Lindsay by her shy smile. There was no way, ten days ago when she'd been on the airplane from Montana to New York, that she'd ever imagined meeting someone like Danny or laying in bed next to him.

"What do you have in mind?"

"How about I show you around the city a little bit? Central Park, Times Square, all the touristy stuff."

"Hmm. I'm not sure. New York is on a whole other level for this Montana girl. I'm not sure I could handle it."

Danny immediately recognized her words as what he'd said to her when he'd picked her up at the airport. Giving her a light squeeze he said, "Hey, I already apologized for that. You can't hold it against me."

Lindsay laughed, "I'm just kidding. That sounds great." She had a more than a good feeling that she was going to love it here in New York.


End file.
